


Those Who Dream

by GrimmVertigo



Series: We Are As Gods [5]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gods, AstralsAU, Awakening Powers, Exploring Relationship Dynamics, M/M, Nightmares, Noctis as the Infernian, Nyx as the Glacian, Other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-07
Updated: 2017-12-07
Packaged: 2019-02-11 14:47:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,739
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12937536
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GrimmVertigo/pseuds/GrimmVertigo
Summary: Nightmares are bad enough for normal people. When you're the reincarnation of one of the Six? Things get a little more complicated.





	Those Who Dream

**Author's Note:**

> I had a lot of fun with this one. C:
> 
> I also highly suggest reading the previous parts before this one, otherwise some things will be confusing.

In the days and weeks following what Noctis affectionately calls Storytime, Nyx has noticed something strange. 

He knew that when the memories Bahamut locked away started coming back, they would not be kind; very little about the Infernian was, after all, so Nyx expected his memories to be no different. This was only proven when the process had been accidentally triggered, when Noctis was in clear distress over having remembered even a small fraction of a relatively tame memory. 

After the first came back, it should have been like a floodgate being opened. Once one got through, the others should have followed at a steady pace. Nyx was fully prepared to help Noctis however he could, ready to try to ease the pain or even just hold him through it as the memories came back. 

Except there was none of that, none of the pain and hardship either of them had been expecting. 

Every morning, Noctis would wake up and just _remember_ something, like he'd never forgotten it at all, like it was something he'd known his entire life. There wasn't any build-up to it, the memories were just... There. Noctis would casually let something slip in conversation, would reference something that happened or use a particular bit of vocabulary or slang that had died out thousands of years ago. The first couple times this happened, Nyx hadn't caught it until several minutes later, when he suddenly realized what had actually been said. But Noctis didn't show any outward signs of remembering anything, and it just left Nyx confused. 

The ' _how_ ' came to light a couple days later, when Nyx had decided to sit down and talk with Noctis about it, asking if he had any idea what could be happening. 

"Maybe it's Carbuncle?" 

Nyx blinks. "The dream god? The white fox with big ears and a little red horn? _That_ Carbuncle?" 

"Yeah...?" Noctis raises a brow, confused. "Is there any other dream god named Carbuncle?" 

"No, no, it's just. Carbuncle is _old_ , older than the Six. He hasn't been seen or heard of in centuries. It's kinda weird he would just show up now." 

Noctis shrugs and leans back in his chair. "He's been around since I was nine, at least. Maybe you just aren't paying attention." He sighs when he spies Nyx's baffled expression and rubs his forehead. "You've been around me since I was still a kid, and you don't remember that coma I was in? After the accident? Carbuncle was the reason I woke up. He led me through my dreams until I could find a way out. I guess he just stuck around." 

It was the most plausible explanation Nyx had yet heard. Carbuncle was known as one of the more benevolent gods, so it wasn't beyond reason that he'd develop a soft spot for a mortal. As much as Noctis could be considered ' _mortal_ ', anyway. 

"He could be redirecting the memories into your dreams," Nyx speculates, putting a hand to his chin as he thinks. "They'd probably be easier to deal with that way, when your mind is already used to whatever weird stuff it comes up with as actual dreams. That's... Actually really kind of him." 

Noctis shrugs and goes back to flipping through channels on Nyx's tiny television. 

The problem with memories, though, is they're powerful things even for mortals. As a god, who's built to remember everything, they're much stronger. And as the Infernian? Even worse. Some memories are too strong, too rigid, too _important_ to be changed or altered. 

This is where the nightmares come in. 

The first couple times they happen, it's easy enough to pull Noctis out of them. A cold touch to his forehead is enough to wake him when they first start, though he's stuck in a sort of shell-shocked state for a few hours afterwards as he processes what happened. He's always fine the next day. 

One night, Nyx wakes and immediately knows something is wrong. 

Millennia ago, they were bonded with the intention of keeping each other in check. They could feel the extremes of each other's emotions, feel the build-up that usually led to disaster in the mortal world, and react accordingly. 

It's this bond that pulls Nyx from sleep, has him rolling over and checking on Noctis with a gentle touch to his shoulder. The gesture wasn't meant to wake, tender and light enough that anyone in a truly deep sleep wouldn't likely feel it. Except Noctis apparently does. 

The only warning Nyx has is the sudden, violent intake of breath from the body beneath him, before an alarmingly warm hand is grabbing his arm and _throwing_ him onto the floor. 

The sudden movement is disorienting. He hits the floor with enough force to drive the air from his lungs and sends his head bouncing against the hard wood. An oppressive heat above him has him shedding his mortal guise, the sudden chill bringing clarity to his rattled brain, just in time to see clawed hands start to come down on his throat. 

There's barely enough time to grab at the arms in his vision, keeping himself from being strangled by only a couple inches. It's instinct that has his hands forcing an icy chill into the skin he's making contact with, but when he looks up at the face of his attacker, his will falters. 

It's Noctis, but also _not_. He looms over Nyx with teeth bared, canines too sharp to be human, a fiery silhouette of gnarled horns protruding from his temples. His eyes glow wild with orange fire, replacing what used to be deep ocean blue. Whatever nightmare-memory Noctis had been having was enough to call the Infernian to the forefront, and judging from the figure above him, it was a bad one. 

Nyx wrinkles his nose in determination and pushes more cold into Ifrit's arms, surprising him enough to flip their positions. Nyx sits on his waist and pushes all of his weight onto a struggling torso, leaning forward until their foreheads and noses touch. Then he closes his eyes and just breathes, inhaling deep and exhaling a dry, biting chill, just like what he used to do all those millennia ago. 

It takes a few breaths for the body beneath his to stop struggling, to still into a spring-loaded tenseness and then slowly ease into something more relaxed. Nyx stays like this until he's positive the god beneath him is calm, until his breaths are even and a deep behemoth-like purr rumbles in his throat. 

When Nyx sits back, he's struck with a sudden moment of surprise. The flaming horns have all but solidified, the warm, sturdy brown interspersed with cracks of muted fire, a mottle orange aura shifting over parts that haven't quite phased into existence yet. A wrist slips from his grip, and when a clawed hand comes up to his cheek, Nyx can't help the initial flinch upon first contact. But as the seconds pass and the touch stays gentle and warm, he finds himself leaning into it, a wistful little smile tugging at his lips. 

Neither of them utter a single word, even as Ifrit sits himself up, presses his nose roughly into the junction of Nyx's neck and shoulder, and breathes in a deep, rumbling inhale. Nyx turns his face into soft dark hair that is still Noctis and brings his arms up around shoulders that seem to have broadened with muscle that wasn't there when they went to bed. 

' _I missed this_ ,' is what the Infernian wants to say. 

' _I missed you _,' is how the Glacian wants to respond.__

__Still, they say nothing. Not when Ifrit stands and carries them both to bed, not when they settle beneath the covers, close enough for their breaths to mingle. Not even as they both nod off, Nyx slipping away first under the fiery warm gaze of his bonded. He misses the sad look that passes over the Infernian's face, doesn't feel the tender kiss that gets pressed to his forehead or the nose that nuzzles into his cheek._ _

__When Nyx wakes, well into the next afternoon, Noctis's sleeping face is what greets him. The horns have vanished, and when he presses the back of his hand into pale skin, he learns that the residual heat of the Infernian has dissipated. When Noct's eyes flutter open, they're back to their beautiful crystal blue, and when he yawns, all of his teeth are back to being perfectly human._ _

__"Wha time's it?" He asks, voice thick with sleep._ _

__Nyx's response is delayed by several seconds as he tries to figure out if last night was a dream or not. "Early afternoon, at least." He sits up, frowning a little as he stares blankly at the wall, hand on his cheek that feels warmer than it should be._ _

__Behind him, Noctis makes a questioning sound. "Why are you in Shiva form?"_ _

__His frown deepens, and when he turns to the window, surely enough, the reflection that stares back is one with pale skin and even paler hair disheveled from sleep. Nyx shakes his head and wills his mortal form back, turning to face Noctis._ _

__"Do you remember what happened last night?"_ _

__Noctis yawns again and rolls onto his belly, crushing the side of his face into the pillow. "Yeah, we went to bed earlier than usual? I guess?" He cracks an eye open, looks down at Nyx, then sits up with concern on his face. "Why?" His expression darkens as he frowns in earnest. "Is it another Ifrit thing?"_ _

__Nyx sighs and nods, running a hand over his face. "You were having another nightmare, but this one must've been bad enough to draw out the Infernian himself. Nothing happened," he said quickly, because he knew Noctis got upset enough when he lost control. "Everything was okay."_ _

__"You woke up in your Astral form," Noctis deadpans. "Don't tell me 'nothing happened'."_ _

__"It _was_ fine though," Nyx insists. "I was just caught off-guard. We both were, actually; I don't think either of us were expecting that." _ _

__Noctis is still frowning, still wary and concerned. But when Nyx slides up next to him and pulls him into his lap, all he can do is sigh and slouch into the touch._ _

__"It'll be alright," Nyx says reassuringly, pressing a kiss to Noct's forehead. "I can deal with Ifrit's manifestations just fine. You focus on your training. Okay?"_ _

__Noctis nods. "Okay."_ _

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and kudos are always appreciated!~  
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
